The Ford Fusion Hybrid Car
The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a midsize sedan and spots a combination of a standard gas engine and an electric motor to offer the driver 41 mpg in the city and 36 miles per galloon on the highway. The vehicle has been well received, with many critics giving it rave reviews.

The Transit Connect Compact Van
The versatile Transit Connect Compact Van snagged truck of the year at the Detroit auto show. The Transit Connect, a compact versatile commercial van also available in Europe won the truck of the year at the show as well. This is probably due to the recent growing popularity of these vans, a spill over from its European euphoria.
In fact, Ford has won the truck of the year award at the Detroit Auto Show two times in a row, with last year the F-150 taking the top honours.

The awards, given annually by journalists who test cars throughout the year, are often used by automakers in advertising. Vehicles are judged on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value.

This is the third time in 17 years that an automaker has won both awards which are selected by 49 auto journalists and given annually since 1994. This has give consumers renewed enthusiasm towards more new and exciting Ford models going forward in 2010 and 2011. This award has also given environmentally friendly cars a boost and a good head start in the specific hybrid cars segment.

The worst seems to be over in the hybrid car market, although sales remains below normal levels. 26,205 hybrid cars were sold in June 09, a good 5 percent increase from May 2008 last year.

So is this the time to jump on the hybrid car bandwagon? Obviously, as like any early adopters, anytime is a good time for a change in you driving lifestyle, and also doing your part at for mankind’s green legacy. What with the generous green tax credits that the Obama government is giving for green switchers, and the potential gasoline savings over the long run, who could resist the temptation of the sleekly designed, aerodynamic streamlined look of a hybrid car?

There are however, some myths and issues you need to be informed before you finally roll that Toyota Prius or Ford Fusion Hybrid out of the dealers’ showroom.

Do Hybrid Cars Blow Up In Car Accidents?
There have been concerns about whether hybrid cars blow up in car accidents. Just about a year ago, even firefighters ask this question.

>> Truth be told, by Hoyt, PR rep for Toyota, “Our engineers gave lots of thought to safety. You can electrocute yourself with 300 to 500 volts. But you have to work hard to do this with hybrids, which have lots of real safeguards. The high volt disconnects in accidents. It is our worry too for anyone to hesitate at accident scenes because of worries due to lack of information. .. If people thought about how dangerous gasoline was they would not get into cars. They are saying the same thing about hydrogen technology, that hydrogen will blow up like the Hindenburg.”

Are Green Cars Low Cost Wear And Tear Since They Are Under Generous Warranties?
>> Truth be told, environmentally friendly cars may be efficient and reliable but like any other types of cars, mechanisms wear and tear do give rise to need of maintenance. Most hybrid car auto makers give 8 year warranties to the battery life. However, when you are involved in an accident and require repair, there would obviously be hidden expenses comparative to its gasoline counterparts. The hybrid technology is still a fairly advanced one, requiring mechanics of specific skills sets to repair them.

Green Cars Cost An Arm And Leg!
>> Truth be told, did you know that the price of a Toyota Prius 2009 is now benchmarked as one of the cheapest most efficient hybrid cars with at least 50 mpg costing only a mere $3,000 more than your Ford Fusion, depending on your location. Coupled with your eligible green tax credits and fuel efficiency on gas savings over the long run, it is not difficult to decide on your next car purchase.

Check out here for more hybrid cars and environmentally friendly cars articles

The fact that environmentally friendly cars have risen through the ranks lately can be attributed to the various benefits it accords its users. The most popular type of environmentally friendly cars currently include 2 types, namely the massed produced hybrid car, as well as the electric car which is the latest new entrant to the car market.

There are marked differences in the hybrid car vs the electric car. The hybrid car uses a combination of part electricity and part gasoline to power the engine of the vehicle. Compared to conventional cars, whereby the engine is solely run by gasoline, the hybrid car is deem at least 50 percent more fuel efficient.

By virtue of the fact that the hybrid is 50 percent more fuel efficient and consumes less than half the usual gasoline, the hybrid car emits less than 50 to 70 percent less toxic substances into the environment, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the green car driver. The current leader of the pack is the Toyota Prius, which has a set a 2010 target of 400,000 sales worldwide.

Competing with the Hybrid Car is the new kid on the block, the Electric Car. This is the car that the Obama government is hoping will help to rebuild the auto industry, grow our environmentally friendly subconscious and drastically cut down our carbon footprint.

The Electric car concept was shelved by many an automaker mainly due to the fact that there were too many roadblocks in its development then. The key barrier to mass demand was that the electric technology was not sufficiently mature, there were lack of support for developing supporting infrastructure, until the Obama 2.4 billion auto industry stimulus plan.

With 500 million dollars to be spent on developing more efficient electric motors and batteries and 400 million dollars fully devoted to creating new infrastructures such as electric charging stations, the Electric Car is set to roll off auto plants in a big way. To top it up, the government is providing a 7,500 dollars tax credit scheme for the purchase of a new electric car or hybrid car.

Such are the effects on the environmentally friendly car scene induced with a political agenda which is well meaning, and designed to kill more than 2 birds with one stone.

Folks, the NEW Green Revolution has just begun. Embrace yourself with cleaner and more environmentally friendly changes in your lifestyle.

For more good reads, check out Hybrid Cars and Environmentally Friendly Cars

Hybrid cars are essentially car with tow engines, namely your conventional gas driven motor as well as electric motor. Hybrid cars have the intelligence to switch to the more optimal motor given your driving speed, hence, helping you save on gas mileage.

One key feature of hybrid cars is that when it is in stationary mode, the gasoline motor shuts down, and electric one takes over, meaning that there is no consumption of gas. From speed levels of idling 0 to about 40 miles per hour, the electric motor will kick in, and you would be driving as per normal but with the electric motor instead. This could eventually help you save tons of gas money especially when you lead an urban lifestyle where driving around town at 40 miles per hour or less is the norm. You can be sure that you would never again have to worry about being stuck in your usual traffic jams and paying high gas bills.

Another advantage is that the Obama government is providing huge tax breaks for people who own hybrid cars. With $7,500 green tax incentives for a simple lifestyle switch to hybrid cars, you are not only liberated for good from your gasoline guzzlers, you will also enjoy the long term benefits of gas savings, apart from your green tax credits. Now who says you cannot have you cake and eat it too?

Hybrid cars are indeed environmentally friendly cars, helping you keep your environment clean and green, reducing tailpipe toxic emissions by about 90 percent and 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions. This is indeed a true legacy you could leave behind for generations to come.

It would obviously cost more than your conventional gasoline guzzlers, about $4,000 more, what with the new technology. Insurance packages will cost slightly higher than your conventional cars as due to higher maintenance cost of the new technology, and should the batteries fail.

However, do realize that this cost can be more than recouped by your $7,500 green tax incentives and even more from your gas savings, albeit over time. And it take no genius to know that hybrid cars works out to be much cheaper than conventional ones over the long run.

Given the green tax incentives perks and the long term gas savings, there is little reason to procrastinate on hybrid cars. After all, the Obama government has a vision to fill our roads with 1 million electric cars by 2015, in a mere 5 years time with a $2.4 Billion Stimulus Plan.

As in all advanced and new technology in the market, the debut of commercially manufactured hybrid cars comes with a high repair costs as it would require an almost entirely new set of technical skills to manage the repair works of hybrid cars. These skilled manpower would in turn cost money to groom and grow.

Take for instance, compare the cost of repair for a Hybrid sedan and a gasoline guzzling one when they both need similar types of repair. The hybrid car will still cost more due to the fact that there is only one engine to deal with in the gasoline sedan, while the hybrid car has an electric motor as well as a gasoline powered one. The hybrid car entails more complex and components requiring additional work to complete the repair.

The repair and maintenance costs are directly correlated to the numbers of hybrid cars sold in the market, as hybrid car insurance is priced based upon the normalcy of the claiming behavior of hybrid car owners. The claiming experiences of the insurance companies would help determine the price of hybrid car insurance premiums. The lesser the claims for repairs the lower will be the premiums payable. Hence it is largely dependant on the good driving habits of the hybrid car owners.

Currently, with about a million hybrid car insurance sold, the statistical accuracy correlating to predictable claims may not yet be conclusive, unlike the traditional car or auto insurance in the market. Insurance companies will being closely observing accident rates for hybrid cars as compared to conventional cars to help them derive more statistical relevance in hybrid car insurance claims.

But that said, the green tax incentives and long term gasoline savings probably far outweighs the cost of hybrid car insurance premiums. And not to forget, you get to pay at a discount in some states for maintaining an accident-free record over a period of time too.

For more good reads on hybrid cars and new launches, check out Hybrid Cars and Environmentally Friendly Cars here.

Here are the Specifications

• Powered by a 1.6 LPI Gamma engine with maximum power rated at 114 ps
• 15kW electric motor with maximum power rated at 20ps
• The hybrid engine of Elantra LPI HEV with a total 134 horsepower a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
• Acceleration from zero to 100km/h at 11.7 seconds
• Delivers a fuel economy rating of 41.9 mpg (17.8 km/l)
• CO2 emissions at 99g/km qualifies it as a Super Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV)
• Hybrid Car Price for three different models (Locally priced) - Elantra LPI HEV, HDe-I and HDE-III models range from US$16,180 to$18,310

Warranties

• Five-year/100,000-km powertrain warranty
• Six-year/120,000km warranty for the LiPoly battery, inverter and other key electronic and electrical components

Value Adds
Elantra HEV’s CVT is equipped with a driver-selectable ‘E (Eco-Drive)’ gear that maximizes fuel efficiency by reducing sharp fluctuations in the torque, increasing the use of electric motor assist and electric charge regeneration when brakes are applied.

The fuel efficiency of Elantra LPI HEV is further improved with the engine ‘Auto-Stop’ function which automatically switches off the ignition at idle. This feature only functions when the driver applies the brakes after running the car for more than two seconds at speeds of 9km/h or higher.

Its SuperVision gauge cluster is equipped with an “Eco Guide” tree icon which is designed to coach the driver into developing more economical driving habits

Hyundai invested US$198 million over a 43 month-long development period on the Elantra LPI HEV. This Hybrid Electric Car is just the start of the vast investment that Hyundai has invested in Environmentally Friendly Cars - A Truly Green Legacy To be Remembered for Generations.

The other smart technology is the hybrid car onboard computer which intelligently detects the reduction in speed and kicks in the energy conservation phase by switching from gas to electricity when hybrid battery is fully charged and does the reverse when in low battery power.

Consumer Statistics shows that about 80 percent of the time, city dwellers tend to drive at 40 to 50 miles per hour, mostly for urban driving. This suits the profile of the hybrid cars specs which essentially only utilizes its electric power system around 45 miles per hour or less. This means that most often than not, the urban driving hybrid car does need to tap into its gasoline reserves at all. Currently thanks to this advanced technology, with the exception of pure electric cars, the hybrid car is deemed the most fuel efficient amongst all types, cutting gasoline consumption by half by alternating between the more fuel efficient modes of powering the car. Gone are the agonizing bills from gasoline guzzlers.

And to boot, as a hybrid car owner, you are doing your bit for keeping the environment greener with lesser toxic emission with your environmentally friendly car, thereby contributing to cleaner ozone free air.

The Obama government is offering a $7,500 green tax incentive to those who switch to hybrid vehicles. Hence, even if the cost of a hybrid car is slightly higher than the conventional gasoline guzzlers, this amount of tax incentives as well as the long term fuel savings would far exceed its cost.

Hence, you should never view a purchase of a vehicle in short term perspective. Some tend to take a stand that in this bad economic downturn, it would be a greater toil on their finances to buy the higher-priced hybrid car. The truth is exactly the opposite. What they do not see is the investment which pays off over the long run in terms of 80% fuel savings, up to $7,500 tax incentives, and a greener ozone. And This is a priceless legacy and our most precious gift of life to our next generations to come.

For more good reads, check out Hybrid Cars and Environmentally Friend Cars.

Japanese Hybrid Cars
Toyota Prius is, by far the market brand leader in hybrid car sales in 80 different countries. It has achieved top sales in 2008 and aspires to achieve 400,000 units by 2010.

The All new Toyota Prius 2009 touts a proud 50 miles per gallon, is the World’s Most Aerodynamic vehicle, has advanced tracking dashboard with Fuel Consumption, Energy Flow and New Hybrid System Indicators and Solar Power Sunroof for Ventilation System on hot days. Check out more information and watch the clip at Introducing The All New Toyota Prius 2010

American Hybrid Cars
The Ford Escape Hybrid with its new 2.5 liter Atkinson-cycle I-4 engine boosts late intake valve closing or LIVC as well as advanced processor technology for smooth transition from gas to electric mode give you a smooth ride. The electric motor is capable of working the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV up to 40 mph without the need to tap on gasoline and all these are a commendable 155 to 180 horsepower. With is FWD system, it ensures better safety by giving enhanced traction regardless of harsh road conditions like gravel, ice or rain.

The Chevy Volt is designed to move more than 75 percent of America’s daily commuters without a single drop of gas meaning that if one drives less than 40 miles a day. The Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions. The Chevy Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system which uses a lithium-ion battery with a variety of range-extending onboard power sources, including gas and E85 ethanol to recharge the battery while you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range. It is indeed everyone’s guess that in view of the desperately struggling GM, the Chevy Volt which is slated to launch in 2010 might yet again be postponed though.

European Hybrid Cars
In early October 2008 at the Paris Motor Show, it was confirmed that the Pure Electric Car would be based on the upcoming New Small Family theme. This is the basis of the series of Volkswagen up! Concepts. Volkswagen will brand the production version with models under other VW group brands such as Seat and Skoda. One of the Key target markets in Asia for the VW brand is India.

Depending on your preferences, country location, and of course the types of commercial you are exposed to, you will already have your very own top choice of which make of hybrid car. But whichever Hybrid car you choose, green tax rebates from our Obama government is definitely a sweet carrot!

Find out more about here at Hybrid Cars. And more good reads awaits you at Environmentally Friendly Cars Here.

It is expected that in a few years time, the market for cars would be greatly overhauled in favor of the hybrid cars, which are rapidly gaining popularity as gasoline prices continue to soar and the impact of engine combustion to the environment is started to be felt. Thus, after the launch of pioneering batches of hybrid cars, many other companies have sprouted and showed their guts to pit head on against the industry leaders.

There are more start up car manufacturing companies today that are aiming to get the strong market hold in the car industry amid fierce competition posed by the long-time veterans. It would be important to not that these new or start ups would potentially be the next important companies of the future. They have been ramping up their research and development initiatives to come up with product offerings that are not only at par with the current hot cakes, but also are pitted to be much better. Most start ups in the car industry are focused on developing and eventually selling their own versions and modifications of hybrid vehicles.

Several of these new and merging firms more than deserve sheer and great appreciation for taking the nerve and the guts to against the strong current and potentially face the challenges and setbacks of competing with major and giant rivals within the Environmentally Friendly Cars arena.

Because there are numerous start ups that offer future hybrid vehicles, the message is further beamed clearer across the industry. Hybrid cars, indeed, are the cars of the future, the hope of the start ups to penetrate the intense and demanding market. Below are some of these new companies that are aiming and hoping to enter the important market for the futuristic hybrid cars.

Tesla Motors is based in Silicon Valley and is aggressively making waves to solicit orders for its future hybrid cars, high-performance sports and utility cars, to be delivered by spring of 2006. The future hybrid car models of the company would be mainly manufactured in the United Kingdom but would be greatly and widely distributed in the United States.

Tesla Model S Electric Family Saloon

Tesla said its future hybrid car model would use sophisticated lithium-ion batteries that would last until the car runs a mileage of about 250 miles at 130 miles per hour. The Tesla Model S is the latest entry into the Hybrid car scene targeting the family car market.

Wrightspeed is another start car making company based in Sillicon Valley in California. The company used to make computer parts and also used to be an amateur racer car maker. Now, Wrightspeed has decided to take full gears in manufacturing cars, not just average and traditional cars, but hybrid cars. The company has its own list of flagship future hybrid cars, which it is selling on a pre-ordered basis. Those future cars are estimated to last 200 miles before the next recharging is required.

Zap is an Auto importer specialist Zap in June 2006 started selling three-wheeled hybrid cars, which are actually made and imported from China.The future cars of the company are said to be able to reach a speed limit of 40 miles per hour.

Zap Zebra Electric Car

Zap said its future hybrid cars are not just functional and economical, but are also fun to ride at and very sophisticated and chic. The company’s future hybrid car is named Xebra, can seat four, with four doors and comes in striped colors, barely relative to its namesake.

Tomberlin Group is actually not that new in the industry, but has been failing for some time to gather pace to create a niche in the car making and selling market. The company’s future hybrid cars are also sold on a pre-order basis, with pricing depending on the model, color and design.

Check out more good reads at Hybrid Cars and Environmentally Friendly Cars.

Hybrid Cars over the years, on the other hand, have made great inroads into the hearts of car buyers, touting its supporters all the way from Hollywood Megastars to renown politicians. The hybrid car market has grown to more than 3% of total car market in the US within 2 - 3 years. So, is the Hybrid Car a car makers’ hype, fad or truly the future of Environmentally Friendly Car?

Let us run a Reality Check.

Hybrids Vs Electric Cars, Which Is The More Environmentally Friendly Car?
Electric cars are Full Electric powered cars which means that there is not need to use gasoline fuel which when burned, emits toxic fume into the ozone. Conversely, Hybrid Cars which uses 2 or more alternative fuel sources do emit toxic fumes, albeit much smaller amounts, around 50% compared to the conventional car. Hence, this is a fact that electric cars are the more environmentally friendly cars than hybrids in terms of fume emissions, in fact, at least twice as clean as its hybrid counterpart.

Hybrids Vs Electric Cars, Which Requires Less Maintenance?
Most models of hybrid cars currently use tow or more fuel sources with at least one which combust to give power, the components are more complicated and require s certain level of maintenance. Conversely, Electric cars have fewer wear and tear, in addition to the fact that they more fuel-efficient with better mileage than hybrid cars.

Hybrids Vs Electric Cars, Which Travels Further Before Recharge?
Hybrid Cars travels a record 200 miles before recharge compared to the fact that the Electric Cars which seldom exceeded 100 miles now tout at least 200 miles before requiring a recharge. Maximum time for a full recharge of the Electric Car batteries has shrunk from 20 hours to about 3 hours. The greatest tipper of scale for the Electric Car is its capability to regenerate its own electric energy while running its motor which is twice as efficient as its Hybrid car counterpart.

Even having reviewed the benefits and pitfalls of Hybrid Cars and Electric Cars, it is difficult to say whether Hybrid Cars or Electric Cars which only recently debut into the limelight will become the eventual winner. And only time will tell which will successfully tout as the future of road warriors.

Check out more good reads at Hybrid Cars and Environmentally Friendly Cars.